Denying people their freedom of choice: MONOPOLIES vs THE PEOPLE

Gerhard Papenfus is the Chief Executive of the National Employers' Association of South Africa (NEASA). #freedomofchoice #freedomofspeech

It was John F. Kennedy who said that “the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man is threatened”.

I am addressing business owners on the great danger facing our country: the freedom-eroding response to Covid-19.

NEASA’s track record for its uncompromising advocacy for the interests of businesses, business owners is beyond reproach.

We pride ourselves in being a champion of the employer cause. However, being considerate about the wellbeing of our employees, cannot be separated from this obligation. The one cannot prosper without the other.

This approach has never been more severely challenged than in the time of Covid-19.

… and business owners will, in the years to come, be judged on their actions during this very challenging phase in our history. We will be judged to what extent we have followed, either the current increasingly popular mandatory narrative, driven by government and business monopolies, or our respect for individual freedom.

How is the current intolerant insistence by some employers to subject their employees to a mandatory medical intervention, with the threat of being economically exterminated if they don't, different from that of Nazi Germany, where Jews were excluded from the world of work, on the basis of their ethnicity - that is before they were ultimately physically eradicated.

Confronting an employee with this choice or losing his/her job, is nothing less than extortion. And nothing achieved in this manner is sustainable;

never was; never will be.

How did it come about that some of us, some business owners, have come to a point where we act as if we own the bodies of our workers, as was the case during slavery?

How did it come about that we don’t fight for our employees, allowing them to become mere medical objects, rather than citizens living and sharing in society together?

Also:

- what has become of the established medical principle of not forcing a person in respect of a medical intervention?

- how did it come about that we have stooped so low that we are prepared to dish out vouchers in order to coerce people, the needy and the poor, into accepting this intervention, seduced for a R100?

How is it that some of us don't question government’s leadership in this respect, while they have failed us in every other aspect.

We oppose, and rightfully so, government’s efforts to expropriate our properties without compensation; but some monopolies do not hesitate to deny an employee the right to work unless that employee surrenders his / her freedom of choice, his or her bodily integrity.

If you do that, you are demanding something for yourself, that you deny those who work for you. And if you do that, you are in breach of the most fundamental law: “doing to others as you would have them do unto you”.

This is not merely a piece of good advice, something to observe when it suits you. This is God’s law: you ignore it at your own peril.

The right of your employee to act according to his or her conscience, is worth more than your commercial interests, no matter how big it is.

It also needs to be mentioned that some of these hostile monopolies are demanding unreasonable actions in this regard from their service providers. To the service providers I say: “Stand up to bullies! Pray for wisdom in this defining hour. Do what is right.”

Complying with the current popular narrative, appeasing government and business monopolies, the short-term safe route, may eventually turn out to be the worst possible business decision, both from a commercial and moral point of view.

Our approach, in this regard is exactly, this: to protect you - the business owner - from falling into this trap. Some may not agree with our approach, but what we do is in your best interest.


See our latest piece:

MANDATORY VACCINATIONS: NEASA puts Minister on notice: Will defend business and individuals in Constitutional Court
https://neasa.co.za/mandatory-vaccinations-neasa-puts-minister-on-notice-will-defend-business-and-individual-in-constitutional-court/


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Hotline: 086 016 3272
https://neasa.co.za/